Free Listening & Counselling service launched by DTCP due to Covid-19.
Covid-19 has affected us all in different ways; many of us have felt immeasurable levels of stress and anxiety, having to deal with things we’ve never had to before. The Dorchester Trust for Counselling & Psychotherapy has recently launched 2 free services to anyone in the community who simply needs to talk. With a long history of providing excellent therapeutic support to Dorset, the team, who are now not able to offer face-to-face appointments, have had to adjust the way they work. The need to support people has increased substantially during this time and because of that, the team has had to find new ways of offering the same help to everyone who needs it.
The lockdown period has brought about new challenges with people having to endure unprecedented levels of stress and anxiety; we’ve seen cases of domestic abuse increase, we’ve seen people caring directly for their ailing relatives, we’ve seen people experiencing panic attacks triggered by not being able to go out.
Because of this, they’ve offered 2 free-of-charge services, from professional therapists on the phone, via Zoom or via Skype.
Service 1: Key Workers
The first strand of support available, completely free of charge, is to anyone who is a key worker. This is not just limited to healthcare professionals, but to anyone working in essential service industries including shop workers, carers, refuse collectors and more. The DTCP has launched a package that offers key workers up to 6 short-term counselling sessions, free of charge, via telephone, Skype or Zoom. This is aimed at anyone who is struggling with stress and anxiety through the work they’re doing and, for many, the impact of working with someone who is dying. Many key workers have received abuse or have been ostracised by simply wearing their uniforms. People feel overwhelmed, but they are still expected to carry on working, which is why this service offers a safe way to talk to a professional person that they don’t know, in a contained environment, allowing them to feel whatever they feel and to offload onto someone who can help them begin to think about how to take back control.
Service 2: Free 1-2-1 listening Services
This second strand of support that is available is for anyone who just feels the need to talk to a professional person who will listen to them, when the consequences of Covid-19 is too much. This may relate to people who have lost relatives, or people facing the prospect of losing their businesses, or anyone who is feeling unable to cope, and to help them regain a sense of control over their own lives again. This is not a counselling session, but it could lead towards counselling if the professional advisor believes that would help the individual.
For more information about the services, or to get in touch with the team, visit http://www.psychotherapydorset.co.uk/ or call 07714 330 120.
